


The Fen

by J05HU4_W0LFF



Series: Tales of Gardoon [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Fantasy, Written In One Day, one day challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-14 21:06:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29548359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/J05HU4_W0LFF/pseuds/J05HU4_W0LFF
Summary: Two strangers have come to visit the Fen, what are they searching for?This story was written in one day, so there will be bugs. :)
Series: Tales of Gardoon [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2170854
Kudos: 3





	The Fen

The soft golden light of dawn shone against the green moss covered inn. A few birds chirped, somewhere in the distance a wolf howled. In the distance, the rumbling of a thousand stone beings crashing to the ground broke the otherwise quiet noises of the morning. Travel in the fens was dangerous during the night, the relics of strong power, many of the people called them ‘golems’ others simply referred to them as ‘monsters’.

Inside the inn, the embers of a dying fire provided small heat to the now stirring patrons, some with hangovers, some huddled in the corner, glad to be in the warm, dry building, safe from the prowling relics.

In one corner table sat two strangers, their traveller’s cloaks covering the bulky frame of armor, their cloaks were fastened with clasps of the Knights of Gardol.

The owner came down from her room, yawning while running her hands through her hair. She was young for a owner of such an old establishment, but the look in her not quite awake eyes said she knew how to handle herself.

“G’mornin folks,” she greeted her patrons groggily. Several mumbled replies, while others grunted their greeting.

The woman started stoking the fire, grabbing some wood to get it going again.

“Here, let me.” One of the strangers spoke up behind the owner. “I will build the fire.”

“I can do it myself,” the owner responded.

“I apologize for my companion,” the other stranger, a woman who looked tough enough to face down a charging Bulrak, apologized. “He can be... chivalrous at times.”

“Well it’s good to see that it’s not dead,” the owner replied, striking her lighting stone against the hearth, coaxing sparks onto some kindling she had placed. Soon a crackling fire was burning.

“My name is Collan,” the owner said to the young stranger. “It’s not often we get knights this far in the fen.”

“Oh, uh,” the knight stuttered. “My master was sent to find an item.”

“Ah,” Collan hummed, putting some smoked meat in a pan, letting it sizzle. “You’re her apprentice. You got a name?”

“Chirrym Ho, of the Knights of Gardol, ma’am.”

“You can drop the ‘ma’am’,” Collan laughed slightly pulling the pan off the heat and grabbing a pot of hot water, pouring it into a mug with some dried leaves in it. “Just call me Coll, everyone else does.”

“O-okay, Coll,” Chirrym flushed slightly.

“What might your master be looking for?” Collan asked, handing the mug to Chirrym.

“I really don’t know,” Collan responded, sitting down next to Collan. “She has been most secretive on this mission.”

“Hey, Ho,” Chirrym’s master spoke up behind him. “Time to go.”

“Might you stay for some breakfast?” Collan asked. “I am famous throughout the fen for having the best food in the area.”

“Thank you, but I’m afraid we must be going, we have a long ways to go yet.”

The two knights exited the inn, heading in the general direction of the other side of the fen. As soon as they were out of sight, Chirrym’s master turned towards the center of the fen, heading deeper into the dark wetland.

“Master, where are we going?” Chirrym asked, scurrying along behind the knight.

“We are going to find a relic of amazing power, lord Tharr wishes us to acquire it for study.”

“Why did you not speak of our mission earlier?”

“Because, this is a discrete mission, even the other fellow knights know nothing of our job here.”

The two continued on in silence for a while longer, not noticing the shadowy figure slinking from tree to tree behind them. Presently they came to an overgrown ruin, several ‘sleeping’ golems lay around the entrance, their moss covered stone bodies lifeless.

“Where are we?” Chirrym asked, following carefully around the stone giants.

“The heart of this forsaken place, and a source of unlimited power for the one who wields the relic within this place.”

“The heart of the golem king.” Chirrym said to himself quietly.

“You’ve heard of it?” His master asked, turning suspiciously towards him.

“Y-yes,” he stammered. “It was the last lesson of my history book before you brought me to go here.”

“Then you know of its power?”

“I know it is the source of life in this fen, and that taking it would dry the land up, causing everything to die.”

“Lord Tharr wishes to learn its secrets to establish his dominion over the king.” Chirrym’s master said, climbing up some steps leading to the main room of the ruin.

“But is that not treason?” Chirrym asked, slowly backing away.

“It could be considered that,” Chirrym’s master said, turning towards him, her sword drawn.”But many believe that the kingdom is in need of new leadership.”

“I serve the king!” Chirrym claimed, planting his feet and standing as tall as he could.

“I see, there is no choice then, I will have to kill you and take the relic back myself.”

Chirrym began to mumble something, causing a faint glow to swell around his hands.

“You are a Child of Power I see.” His master said, “however, I was not foolish enough to not bring backup.” She said, whistling.

Several figures rushed to the top of the steps, their armor shining in the glow of the power surrounding Chirrym’s hands.

“You are but a child, you could never hope to defeat all of us.” Chirrym’s master cackled in crude delight.

“Not on his own.” The voice of the innkeeper came from the shadows. “But he’s not alone.”

Several stone figures climbed out of the shadows, each one carrying a large sword.

“She’s the golem queen!” Chirrym’s master shouted, sending her troops after Collan.

“You are mistaken, I am but a lord in this fen,” Collan said, dodging the blows from the other knights. “And I will not let you harm my subjects!”

Chirrym struck at his master with a blade of energy, the blade missed its mark, sending the two of them into a flurry of strikes and parries in fast succession.

“You are a formidable foe, young apprentice.” Chirrym’s master said, dodging another blow from the energy blade. “But you are not a master yet.” She said, whipping a dagger out and stabbing Chirrym in the heart.

“No!” Collan shouted, slashing down the knights one by one, her eyes glowing with purple fire. “You will pay for that.” Chirrym’s master swung at Collan, she dodged and stepped towards the limp form of Chirrym. Chirrym’s master turned to swing again at Collan, but was stopped by a golem. She swung at the stone statue, but the living statue stopped her blade with its hand, crumpling the metal in its vice grip.

“Please, no...” her voice trailed off into a gurgled scream as the golems dragged her to her punishment.

Chirrym blinked, the bright light of the sun causing him to squint. He looked down at his hands, blue light coursed through stony channels in his arms, ending in a circular design in his palms.

“You’re awake.” The voice of Collan came to his ears, causing Chirrym to sit up slowly. “Whoa, easy, you are probably still weak.” She offered him a mug of fragrant liquid.

“What happened?” Chirrym asked, sipping from the mug.

“Your master stabbed you in the heart, you died in those ruins.”

“Then why am I here?”

“I put a golem stone in you, the very stone your master sought to give to lord Tharr.” She said, holding your now glowing hand. “You are now the golem lord ‘Blue’.”

“Why did you save me?” Chirrym asked, looking at his chest where a blue stone protruded from the hole left by his old master’s knife.

“You stood up for the people of the fen as well as the king. Plus...” Collan blushed deeply. “I-I kind of like you.”

Chirrym blushed an even deeper red than Collan, then straightened up, composing himself.

“What happened to my old master?”

“She is now a statue that will never move.”

Chirrym rose carefully, leaning on Collan. “I just realized, I’m hungry.” He said, laughing slightly.

The two of them went down to eat breakfast in the little inn at the edge of the fen.

The End


End file.
